groundswell

noun

ground·​swell ˈgrau̇nd-ˌswel How to pronounce groundswell (audio)
1
usually ground swell : a broad deep undulation of the ocean caused by an often distant gale or seismic disturbance
2
: a rapid spontaneous growth (as of political opinion)
a groundswell of support

Examples of groundswell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the other hand, Howard Stern had stinging comments today over Kimmel going dark, and joined the groundswell of subscribers cancelling Disney+. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025 Their argument was flawed because a groundswell of backlash over bad behavior — resulting in, say, a private company cutting ties with a controversial figure — is about the market, not about the government. Jason Bailey, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025 That is not a groundswell of resistance. Arafat Kabir, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 The lawsuit said that groundswell of support infuriated Bove, who was portrayed in one video as the Batman villain Bane, while Driscoll was depicted as Batman. Carrie Johnson, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for groundswell

Word History

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of groundswell was in 1786

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Groundswell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/groundswell. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

ground swell

noun
: a broad deep ocean swell caused by a distant storm or earthquake
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!